Valve mechanism for inner drill-casing tubes



June 29 1926. 1,590,645

C. A. RASMUSSEN ET AL VALVE MECHANISM FOR INNER DRILL CASING"'UBBS Fil'ed March 20, 1924 :E'" I .3 Fi -2- Patented June 29, 1926.

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GHESTEB A. BASMUSSEN, LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AND WILLIAM H. RlNE EART,

0E WAYNESBURG, BEHNSYLVANIA.

VALVE MECHANISM: FOR INNER DRILL-CA$ING TUBES.

Application. filed March 20, 1824. Serial No. 700,564,

Our invention relates to drill casing with inner tubes and a valve mechanism to close the annular space between the tube and the casing and also to close the upper end of the inner tube.

In drilling wells it has been found that if an inner tube is used within the drill tube or easing which operates the drill, that in case the drill tube breaks or separates, the

openings into the inner tube are closed and th Space a ou d the in e u e is closed and the upper end of said drill casing is filled with water and makes it diliicult to remove the casing from the well, and also makes a very disagreeable task because of r the water in the casing above the inner tube,

Am ng t e sal nt o jects of our ntion flle wtoprovide means for automati cally opening the upper end of the inner tube when the outer or drill casing ha$ barted by turning said outer or drill casing, its movement relative to said inner tube oper: ating to uncover the openings into the inner tube and thereby allow the water in the upper end of the drill casing to run down into said inner tube to provide in a device of the eharaeter referred to means for holding the inner tube within the drill casing and for clqs ng he nnula sp e etw en t e nn r tube the drill casing; and, in general, to provide an improved valve or shut off mechan s be ween a inner tub an an oute drill as n In order to explain our invention. we have illustratedone practical embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings which we will now describe.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View hro gh a n er e and n ute dr ll casing, showing our invention, also in sect on; 7

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on line of Fi H 3 is eress View line and Figure 4; is a side elevation of the valve cap forming part of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in-detail, 1 designates a drill case, with a two-part coupling composed of the parts 2 andii, the upper part of the drill case being screwed into the upper end of part 2 of the coupling, and the lower part of the drill case being screwed into the lower end of the part 3 of the coupling, and part 3 of said coupling being screwed into the lower end of part 2 of said coupling, substantially in the manner indicated, The upper end of the part 3 of said coupling is or thicker .CQl'l-r struction and forms anannular shoulder, as a a n ic s a pack ng r ng, fier e P lP r i af e ag n ef r ed o-- In t e upp r part 2 f said. oup i g, a P-= d d. n r y pr j e ing lement as 6, 6, P je t g into h nn l r spa e b tween the inside of said coupling and an inner tube, 7, said inner tube 7, fitting through the l r p r of s d up ing u stan ia ly in the mann r ndi ted- Sai nner t be 7 is provided with a series of openings, 7 and at its upper end is provided with an int rmedia m r, S d ere ne l, t ut r d eing r d ced n di met r nd provided with a left-hand thread, 8-, over wh ch i r w a cl sur o can, l -9 n side e a n-in isl, an Pr v ded on its o o te s des with tape e e rs, 9 9 su tially s hov i- I11 w r mthe part in bs ntially the positions shown, as the drill ease 1 is turned for operating the drill at the lower end of the drill case, in the usual manner, water being forced down through the upper part of said well or drill case and into the upper end of the inner tube 7, In ease the drill case 1 breaks, or becomes uncoupled, the continued rotation thereof will cause a rel ive movem t of h ube nd cas Said nn r tube i g wn, or the dr ll ca moving up, until the lower end of the intermediate member 8, rests upon the packing member 5, the openings 7 passing down in? to the upper part of the part 3 ofthe coupling, wherebyto cut off said openings and thus prevent water from passing down into tion of the drill case 1, operates to turn the closure or cap 9, oif the intermediate member 8, or partially off, and sufficient to uncover the openings 8 in the upper part of said intermediate member 8, as indicated, thus allowing the water from the upper part of the case 1, above the inner tube, to run down through said openings 8*, into said inner tube and out at the lower end.

Thus we have provided an inner tube with a closure member which can be operated to open access to the inner tube by the relative movement of the drill case, and with means for-closing the annular space between the inner tube and said drill case. It is to be understood, of course, that with the parts in the positions shown in solid lines, Fig. 1, the pump can force the water and liquid down through the upper part of the drill case 1, and through the openings 7" in the innertube and on down to the drill head. In case the drill case 1 should be parted or disconnected down in the well, its movement relative to the inner tube 7, would cause the inner tube 7 to close the annular space by reason ofthe intermediate member 8, resting on the packing 5, on the annular shoulder 4c, of the member 3. lVith this annular space thus closed, the pump cannot force the water down through the drill case and the pump is, therefore, stopped. This indicates that the drill case has been parted or disconnected down in the well. By turning the drill case, as hereinbefore described, the closure member 9, can beremoved, and thus again permit the water and fluid from the upper part of the drill case 1. to run down into the inner tube, through the openings 8", in the intermediate member'8, as before described.

We do not limit our invention to the ShOV. ing made for the purposes of explaining it, except as we may be limited by a broad interpretation of the hereto appended claims forming a part of this specification.

We claim c 1. In combination, an outer drill casing having an inwardly projecting element, an inner casing, a packing therebetween, said inner casing having inlet openings near its upper end above said packing, a closure member for said inlet openings, adapted to be moved to open and close said openings, said closure member being adapted to be moved by the inwardly projecting element in said outer casing when said outer casing is moved longitudinally and rotatively relative to said inner casing.

2. In combination, an outer drill casing having an inwardly projecting element, an inner tube having openings at its upper end, whereby liquid in said outercasing above said inner tube can enter said inner tube,

a packing between said casing and tube below said openings, a closure member for said openings on said inner tube, said closure member being rotatable to open and close said openings, and means on said closure member adapted to be engaged by the projectingelement in said outer casing for engaging and moving said closure member to open said openings, when said outer casing is moved longitudinally and turned relative to said inner tube.

3. In combination, an outer drill casing, an inner tube. having its upper end open to receive liquid from the outer casing, a 010-, sure member for said inner tube adapted to close the open end thereof, a packing between said casing and tube below said opening and means whereby the movement of said outer casing longitudinally and rotatively relative to said inner tube operates to move said closure member to open said opening to-permit liquid from said casing to enter said inner tube.

4;. In combination, an outer drill casing, an inner tube having openings through its side near its upper end, a closure member over said end and adapted to be turned to uncover said openings in the side of said inner tube, packing means between said casing and tube and means on said outer casing adapted to engage and turn said closure member when said outer casing is moved longitudinally and turned relative to said inner tube, substantially as described.

5.'In combination with a drill case, a coupling therein forming an inner annularshoulder, an inner tube therethrough, pack ing therebetween, closure means on the upper endof said inner tube, said closure member beingsadapted when said, tube and said drill case are moved relative to each other longitudinally to engage with said annular shoulder and to close the annular space between said inner tube and said coupling and means whereby rotation of said casing opens said closure member.

6. In combination, a drill case having acoupling with means therein providing an inner annular shoulder, a packing ring on said shoulder, an inner tube therethrough, a closure member on the upper end of said tube adapted to rest upon said packing on said annular shoulder when said tube and drill case are moved relative to each other, the upper end of said tubebeing closed with a removable member and means whereby rotation of said-casing opens said closure member. i

7. In combination, a drill case, a coupling therefor having an inner annular shoulder, a'packing on said shoulder, an inner tube fitting through said annular shoulder, an intermediate member on the upper end of said inner tube and adapted to engage with said packing when said inner tube and said drill case are moved relative to each other, a closure member on said intermediate menr her and means whereby rotation of said casing opens said closure member.

8. In combination, a drill case, a coupling therefor providing an inner annular shoulder, a packing on said shoulder, said coupling having inwardly projecting elements, an inner tube through said annular shoulder having openings through its side above said shoulder, an intermediate member screwed on to the upper end of said tube and adapt ed to engage said packing on said annular shoulder when said tube and case are moved relative to each other, a closure member screwed onto said intermediate member with 1 reverse screw threads to those connecting said intermediate member to said inner tube, and means on said closure member adapted to engage with said inwardly projecting ele ments, whereby rotative movement of said drill case operates through said projecting elements to unscrew said closure member to open communication with the upper end of said inner tube, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the character shown and described, in combination, a drill case, a two part coupling therefor, one part providing an inner annular shoulder, a packing element on said shoulder, inwardly projecting means on one part of said coupling, above said shoulder, an inner tube through said shoulder and packing, said tube having openings through its side above said packing, an intermediate member screwed onto the upper end of said inner tube, a closure member screwed on to said intermediate member with a left hand screw, and projections on said closure member adapted to engage with said inwardly projecting means whereby longitudinal and rotative movement of said drill case relative to said tube operates to unscrew said closure member to uncover inlet openings to said inner tube. V Signed at Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, this 8th day of March, 1924.

CHESTER A. RASMUSSEN. WILLIAM H. RINEHART. 

